Disk record container and package



B. A. PRocToR 2,332,598 DISK RECORD CONTAINER AND PACKAGE Filed v. 29, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 Oct. 26, 1943.

mw f QA) .m m CA E 0 N mf R wp. m A T N 1m d( ,f SM w Oct. 2,6, 1943. B. A. PRocToR ADISK RECORD CONTAINER AND PACKAGE Filed- NOV. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Bar/0n A. Procof BY M24 if@ AT TORNE YS Patenteol Oct. 26, 1943 'V 2,332,598 DISK RECQEP CONTAINER AND. PACEAQE Barton A. Proctor,` Larchrnont, N. Y., `assgnor to B. A. Proctor Company, Inc.,'New York, N. Y.,"a

corporation of New York Application November 29, 19.44).` Serial No. 367,631

12 Claims; `(Cl. 20G-15) This invention relates to improvements in con tainers and packages, and is. especially directed to container and package constructions 'provided with upper andlower compartments'separated by a movable partition. l l

The invention is particularly advantageous Lor e the packaging or disk records used forthe record ing and reproductionrof sound, of the type disclosed in the application of Barton A.' Proctor for United States patent, Ser. No. 218,082, iiled July 8, 1938. Such records are preferably formed from sheet cellulose acetataand 4are flat when in their. original blank or unused form. When the sound track is inscribed on a record of this typc'it has been found that the portioncarrying the track is deected downwardly and the record assumes a dished or frusto-conical form.

This change in contour presents a serious problem in eicient packing, especially `with very thin records. Such records must be protected `froml pressure or distortion that might affect the sound track, by a container that is as compact as 11,051 sible and which may be manufacturedhandled and packed at a minimum cost. Y r s The purpose of the inventionis to provide a container and package suitable for either blank or inscribed records of the indicated type, or both. A feature is the provision of a container and package construction provided with two sec-g tions or compartments, one suitable lfor `blank records and one for dished inscribed records, so arranged that a blank' record may be conveniently removed from one compartment, inscribed and then packed in dished forrn in the other compartment.

A specific feature comprises an arrangement of this type in which the container will retain the saine outside dimensions when packedV with a given number of records, and will hold said number or" records rmly and safely in place without distortion, regardless oi the relative proportion of blank and inscribed records therein.

`A further feature of the invention is the provision and utilization of a central slightly thickcned portion of each record to hold the records rmly in place when stacked in the container without applying pressure to the inscribed portions of the records. This is accomplished by constructing and arranging the container to exert pressure on such central portions, kwhich serve as spacers. Records of the type described in the above mentioned application are extremely thin; and the prevention of pressure on the sound track portions thereof is especially important.v

A further specinc Vvfeature is the utilization of a suitable label'of paper or thelike centrallyxaffixed to'each; record to provide the requisite thickening at this point. This arrangement dispenses with the necessity for providing aspecially thickened central structure on the record and utilizes the label for three'purposes, as a writing label, as a stacking spacer, and as a drive reinforcement, thus making it possible to form the records" from standard sheet material and to stack such records safely'-. y,

Another purpose is to provide a container and partition structure that may be made economically Ifrom ordinary materials without sacrificing strength or convenience in handling and using the container. I l

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appearv from 'the'. following description consideredy in connection with the accompanying drawings in whichz"v Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional View through a packagecornprising a closed container n packed with bothblankand inscribed records;

v'Fig-2 is"an expanded side elevation or the container vshown in Fig. Y1 with the front portions of the lid and body b'rokenraway; V Fig. sis atop plan view of a record of the type above indicated;

Fig." a is a bottom plan View of the movable partition separating the container compartments; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the container body withv thebottom support `member inv place.

In` the illustratedy embodiment `the container comprises `a body IU formed with a bottom II and connected side walls I2, and a cover I3 including'atop I4 and depending connected sides I5 fitting over the body walls VI2 in the usual manner, In the form shown the body Iii and cover I3 are generally square in horizontal section; but the invention is not restricted to this contour, since it is equally applicable to containers having other polygonal or circular forms.

A suitable support arranged to engage the central portion of a dished record or the like is mounted in the container body Ii] and suitably held in placaas by fitting it snugly against the side walls I2 thereof. In the illustrated embodimentv a support member I6 of` sheet material is employed Vfor this purpose, and includes a flat central support section Il and a side wall or skirt i8 extending downwardly and outwardly from support section Il to the side walls I2 of the container body. Section I'I is circular and side Wall I8 is `truste-conical, inclini'ng relative to section Il at an anglenot less than, andadvantageously the same as or slightly greater than, the angle between the central portion and the marginal portion 2| of .an inscribed disk record 22 of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Proctor application. The arrangement is such that when ia record 22 or a plurality of such records in stacked position are placed upon the support member 'I6 the central portion ZIJ of the lowermost record will rest upon the support section I'I and the exible marginal portion 2| of the lowermost record will rest partially or entirely upon the side wallv I8 of said member and be supported thereby Without being distorted, the marginal portions 2| of superposed records being sufficiently liexible so that they will be more or less supported by similar marginal portions of subjacent records to lanextent sucient to prevent distortion, but without pressure on such marginal portions 2|.

,Side wall I8v is proportioned so that its. outer margin 25 rests on ,the body bottom I I and is' in contact witheach flat side wall `I2 of the conf tainer body I3, whereby the support member I5 is held in centered position; but to assure registry and stren-gth the sidewall lmaybe provided with corner Aextensions 23 resting on the Vbody bottom II and` extending into the corners ofA the container body` Iii, the side margins of extensions 26 tting against side walls I2, the support meml ber I6 with extensions 26 being generally square.

Suitable 'support means is provided within the container for supporting one or more flat uninscribed disk records 2l above the inscribed records 22 resting von support member I6 and for covering said records. The support means is advantageously provided in theA form of a partition or spacer 28 extendingtransversely across the container, having a central portion positioned to rest upon section Il or the Icentral portion 2i] of the uppermost record supported on said section, and an outer portion slidably engaging body walls I2 andadapted to'support' the peripheral portions 2I` of unused records 21. stacked above the partition to the extentnecessary to' prevent distortion or deflection thereof. vvPartition 28 ad' vantageously includes also means for preventing substantial upward deflectionV ofthe .marginal portions v2| of' inscribed reco-rds 22, which might be caused by agitation or inversion of the container. This partition 28 also serves as a cover for the lower stack ofy records 22,*'is seated on this staclgand thereby holds thecentral portions of said records against edgewise displacement. .t

A suitable partition or spacer construction` for this purpose is disclosed, consisting of an upper memberZ having arat square top 3U and depending side flaps 3|, anda lower member 32 having a hat central section 33, a downwardly deected .frusto-conical side wall 34 and corner extensions,l 35 similar in proportions andy arrangement to section I'I, wall I8 and extension 26 of the support member I 6. Side flaps 36, projecting from the margins of corner extensions 35 and of side wall 3ft intermediate such extensions, arebent upwardly-to bear against flaps 3i of the upper member, to which they are suitably attached by adhesive or otherwise to form a unitary partition 23, with the central section 33 of the lower member 32 in contact with the central portion of top 3e of the upper member 29. The set of overlapping flaps positioned on the outside, which in the form illustrated consists of aps 36, tsvslidably against side walls I2 of the body,

With this arrangement the partition 28 ispsupported in place by central section I'I of the support member I 6 or by the central portions 20 of inscribed records resting on said section I 1, Y

and unused records 2'I may be stacked on the top 3i] of the partition with their central portions 20 registering with similar portions of the records 22 and their-peripheral portions 2| held against excessive downward deflection by said partition top 313. The top I 4 of cover I3 is arranged so that it will rest upon the central portion 20 of the uppermost record 21 when a predetermined number of records has been placed in the con? tainer. AThis arrangement avoids direct pres- -sure on the marginal portions 2| of records 2I, `while' 'preventing such portions from being undulydeflected.

A hinge 31 connecting cover I3 to the body IU maybeprovided, and advantageously .consists of onezorl more strips of tough ilexible material such'as',` cloth orkraft paper, overlying thejunction betweena 'side' I5 of the cover and the subattached to said cover'side and body side walf` A label 33 is suitably attached to the central portionl Zlmiof each record, asby adhesive, and is vformed cfpaper or other suitable material of sumcient thickness td'serve as a spacer between It has been found effectivenessvof the label` asia *suitablev spacer betwee'ns'tacked records. v

It will be, noted that "in the construction described -herein the distance between the bottoni support sectionv I 'Iand the container top I-I is xed,'=an'd thetotal available space above and below the central portion'fof the spacer 23 is always the same. Consequently, when the 'properv nuin'b'erfofr vrecords is-placed in the container their'bentral portions will beheld iirmly in place when the cover yI3 is Yin closed position by pressureon the central section 2i)l andlabels 38, re-

gardlessof the proportion of such records above and below the spacer 2B.' The constructionis likewise designed kto provide the same jsupport andprotectim for`records above" and below theV spacer, regardless of the'number of records in either"` position, as long -as the total number of records 'is substantially'that'for which the con-y tainer is designed;`

The various parts ofthe container maybe conV` structed from any suitable sheet or formed matei rial, such as metal, plastics or the various brous sheet'materials made from wood and other pulps. Theform illustrated and modiiications thereof within the scope of this invention are adapted for construction'from the cheaper grade of such pulp products, being designed and arranged to provide thel necessary strength and stiffness when made from cheaper grades of such materials.`

Y While the shaped elements of the structure, inf cludingf particularly the bottom support member I5 andthe'lowermember 32 of theY spacer, may' be constructed in sections appropriately connect ed as f byadhesive,` they Ahaver been designed for integral' construction, and may be suitably shapedfrom iiatsheets to impart the desired y frustoconical contour -by known methods, whether formed from fmetal, plastics or the vcheaper grades of pulpfproductshwithout-serious increase in cost.- ,l 'n

While the bottom support AI6 in the form illustrated is simply inserted in the container lll, this disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not by way of limitation; for thecentral bottom support for the central portions of the stacked records may be provided in other forms and mounted in other ways in the container. Furthermore, while such bottom support i6 is shown as separate from the container bottom ll, such support may be formed as a part of the bottom, and specically the bottom maybe suitably shaped or distorted upwardly to provide such support.

I have described what Iv believe to be thebest embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be 4 coniined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A container comprisinga body having side walls, a flat bottom connected to they side walls. an upwardly projecting central bottom support comprising an upwardly convex member formed of sheet material and having lower marginal portions engaging the bottom, a cover for the body and a movable transverse partition having a relatively thin central portion in register with the u bottom support and a marginal portion slidably engaging the side walls and substantially thicker than the central portion, the partition being constructed with a substantially atvupper surface and a concave lower surface.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which the partition is formed of sheet material.

3. A container comprising a body having a flat bottom and connected sides, a bottomsupport of sheet material resting on the bottom with marginal portions engaging intersections between the bottom and sides of the body to hold the support in place, the central portion of the support being spaced from the bottom; a removable cover for the body; and a movableV partition extending transversely across the body between the bottom support and thecover and slidably engaging the side walls of the body, said partitionk comprising a lower member having upturned marginal portions and an upper member having downturned marginal portions connected to said marginal portions of the lower member, the upper mem-v ber being centrally supported by the lower member and marginally spaced from said lowermember.

4. A package for disk phonograph records and the like including flat records and convex records, comprising a container having a lower compartment provided with a bottom support fitting within theconcave side `of the concave records and in supporting engagement with the central portion of such records, a movable partition having a central portion arranged for support by said central bottom support or the central portion of records stacked thereon, a removable cover forming the top of the upper compartment, and a plurality of records in Vthe container, the arrangement being such that flat records located above the partition are centrally supported by said partition, and convex records located in the lower compartment are centrally supported by the bottom support.

5. A package as set forth in claim 4 in which the partition extends horizontally beneath the marginal portions of the records in the upper compartment in supporting relationship thereto.

6. A package as set forth in claim 4 in which the outer portion of the lower face of the partition extends downwardly and outwardly, being arranged to extend adjacent the upper face of an uppermost convex record on the bottom support.

7. A package as set forth in claim 4 in which the records in the container fill the space between the bottom support and the cover except tainer, a plurality of disk records arranged in stacked position inthe container, said container including a support engaging the `central portion of the bottom of the stack, each of said records being provided with a thickened. central portion, the arrangement being such that the stacked Vrecords are supported by said central portions, a cover for said stack extending adjacent tothe periphery of said container whereby said cover is conned by said container against edgewise movement and seated on the central portion of the top record, whereby the stacked central portions of said records are confined under pressure between the central section of said support and the central section of said cover, the marginal portion of said cover being i spaced from the marginal portion of said support a sunicient distance whereby said marginal cover portion does not bear Ionthe .marginal portions of said records.

9. A package asset forth in claim 8 in which said thickened central portion of each record is formed by a label applied to the record.

\ 10. A package as set forth in claim 8 in which each record is made of at sheet material and F the central portion is formed solely by a label and the subjacent sheet material.`

11. A package comprising'a container, a stack of downwardly dished disk records in said container, each of said records being providedwith a thickened central portion, a Truste-conical support in said container tapering upwardly and having its flat top supporting the central portion of the bottom of the stack, a cover for said stack of records extending adjacent to the peripheral `wall of said container and having its central ,section seated on the central portion of the top record whereby the central portion of said stack is' closely conned under pressure between said flat support top and said central cover section, the marginal portions of said support and said cover being interspaced suiiiciently whereby the marginal portions of. said records are loosely retained between said support and said cover.

l2. A package comprising a container, two superposed stacks of disk records in said container, each of said records being provided with a thickcned central portion, means for supporting the central portion of the bottom record above the bottom plane of said container, a partition cover between said stacks seated on the central portion of the lower stack and extending adjacent to the periphery of said container, the marginal portion of said lower stack being free from the weight of the marginal portion of said partition cover, and a top cover for said container over the top stack and conning the central portion of said top stack while leaving the marginal portion of said top stack free from the weight of said top cover.

BARTON A. PROCTOR. 

